Why does the bank ask?

Keeping your information up to date protects you: we want to safeguard corporations’ financial interests and protect them from illegal activity, such as identity thefts, hoaxes and phishing of information.

However, some of the questions are based on other reasons. Nordea is one of Europe's largest banks and we want to be socially responsible. Banks are subject to many laws including ones that seek to prevent, for example, money laundering, terrorism and financial crime.

The bank may also use, as applicable, the information provided by you in connection with the banking services for which we as a bank are obliged to obtain certain information about you, for example, to assess the suitability of an investment product or service for you. Then we will not have to ask you the same questions many times.

We always ask questions when establishing a new customer relationship, and after that we update the information regularly when a company representative or an entrepreneur contacts Nordea Business Centre (tel 0200 26262) or a branch. It is also possible that we call the customer or send the basic information form for the customer to fill in. The questions are the same as the ones asked at customer meetings.

Be alert when online

Make sure that the device you are using is protected, the antivirus software is updated and the firewall is in operation. Be alert when you are online and do not open e-mails or links from unknown sources. 

We would like to remind you once more that Nordea will never request your personal or corporate Netbank access codes or card information by e-mail or over the phone.

Why does the bank ask?
Questions and answers

Identity documents accepted by Nordea

The bank must always be able to verify the customer's identity from an undamaged identity document accepted by the bank.

Nordea accepts the following documents for verifying a customer's identity:

Issued by a Finnish authority
Issued by a foreign authority
E-identification

One of the following documents issued by a Finnish authority:

  • passport (not alien's passport)
  • ID card (issued after 1 March 1999)
  • seaman's passport

Travelling document issued by a foreign authority and accepted by Finland:

  • passport (not alien's passport)
  • an ID card issued in the European Economic Area (EEA), also San Marino and Switzerland, if it:
    • has a photo
    • is valid for a certain period
    • has a chip, a hologram or other security features
  • The following European countries do not have an official ID card, so only their passports are accepted as an ID document: UK, Ireland, Norway and Denmark.

E-identification

To obtain an e-identification you must have a Finnish personal identity number, as the e-identification technology is a platform developed by banks that allows customers to be identified with strong identification in accordance with the Finnish act on e-identification and works only with Finnish personal identity codes. For the time being, e-identification cannot be issued to persons with identity documents issued by authorities outside the EEA, San Marino or Switzerland.

Nordea screens payments against sanctions lists to ensure that we comply with all sanctions. We must follow the financial sanctions issued by the European Union and national fund freezing decisions as well as monitor the payments to and from Nordea in order to make sure that no payments are transmitted to the sanctioned parties.

In accordance with the general terms and conditions for payments, Nordea may compare the payment information against the financial and other sanctions imposed by the European Union or the United Nations Security Council as well as against the sanctions, notices and orders of Finnish and foreign authorities. If necessary, we may demand further information on a payment from the payment service user and take action required by the international sanctions. 

The sanction screening may result in delays in processing individual payments. However, Nordea will do its best to prevent delays in payments.